To support community wellness in South Pacific County through active collaborations

Nichole Lopez (above) will be serving her second term of AmeriCorps with WellSpring.

WellSpring is welcoming a new member to its team, AmeriCorps Volunteer Nichole Lopez. Nichole grew up on the peninsula and believes in creating a meaningful, impactful career at home.

“I see my story of success here,” says Nichole.

Nichole has already served one term on the Pacific County Resiliency Corps Team with Peninsula Poverty Response (PPR). In her time with PPR, Nichole coordinated with a team the first year of Overnight Winter Lodging (OWL), two events (Homelessness in Our Community Forum and the Cape D Triathlon), and provided direct service at Coastal Community Action Program (CCAP). In reflecting on the last year, she sees OWL, a primarily volunteer-run effort, as her most significant work.

“What made OWL significant was the impact it had on the volunteers and its guests,” says Nichole. “Five of our guests got housing, and it was due to their acceptance by the community. They would not have been able to get there without the community welcoming and accepting them.”

Prior to her AmeriCorps service, Nichole was studying Philosophy at Portland State University (PSU). For Nichole, philosophy is at the center of many disciplines, including psychology, sociology, and even math, which was her first major with a goal to go into teaching.

“Philosophy provides me with a new perspective and lets me explore more points of view,” says Nichole. “It allows me to question what is important and what isn’t. For me it’s about the journey and the process.”

Nichole says serving a term with WellSpring was a no-brainer. When the opportunity was first mentioned, she immediately made her interest known to Becky Fischer, Pacific County Youth Alliance (PCYA) coordinator and AmeriCorps supervisor.

“The strength of WellSpring is the amazing connections they make,” says Nichole. “Their work may look broad, but it’s done with clear intention. It circles back to community and development.”

At the heart of her work, Nichole cites her love for community and family. “My goal is to give people a voice,” says Nichole.

We look forward to having Nichole as a part of WellSpring. If you see her at a coalition meeting, local event, or catching a wave on her boogey-/surf-/paddleboard, please say hi and help us welcome her to our team.